Door closure for the top portions of automobiles



R.'C. RUPP. DOOR CLOSURE FOR 'THE TOP PORTIONS OF AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAIL I1. I92!- m y mm mw n m vP llll lllll. ll llll E5? awuawioz I? .QRupp R. C. RUPP.

DOOR CLOSURE FOR THE TOP PORTIONS OF AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I7. 192].

. Patented May 2, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEEY 2.

M M W W w sires srarss ear-ass car es.

RAYMOND C. RUPP, F KENDALLVILLE, INDIANA.

DOOR'CLOSURE FOR THE Tor roatrrons or AUTOMOBILES.

. exact description-or" the invention, such as vide type of 7 tion.

will'enable others'skilled inthe art to which it appertains tornake and use the same.

"' This invention relates to an improved door for use in connection with the top portion of an autom'obilebody and is primarily intended for use in connection with a removable top used in connection with a touring car and put in place during cold weather and during rainy weather. One objectof the invention is to so constru'ctthe curtain or door that itmay slide vertically and to-further so mount the door that doors upon oppositesides of the body may be moved upwardly to extend across the top with their lnnerQendi portions in over lapping relation. 7

Another object of the invention is to so construct the doors that they may easily move into the overlapping relation without danger of the inner end portions catching andp'reventing them from overlapping.

'Another-objeotof the inventionis to so construct the door or curtain that the inner end portion will be curved and thus permitted to easily slide up into the inoperative positionfl" I Another object of the invention is to proframe construction for the door or curtain, the same being so constructed that it will be held in the bent or curved position and the door or curtain: securely braced.

Another obgect of the invention isto so construct this curtain that the metal strip forming-the framework will be protected from dampness and thus prevented from rusting.

Another object of the invention is to so construct this curtain that a flap at the lower end portion will provide actuating means for moving the curtain vertically and further provide means for releasably securing the curtain in araised or lowered posi- Anotherobject of the invention is to so construct the curtain that it'may slide in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1922.

Application filed March 17, 1921. Serial No. 452,914.

vertical tracks provided in the body portion of the cover above the body of the touring car;

Another object of the invention is to provlde improved means for supporting the curtam when moved up into inoperative position beneath the cover. a

Another object of the invention is to so construct the same that it may be applied to a conventional construction or" removable top or used 1n connection with a' conventional structure of limousine or sedan body construction, H v y This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is'a view showing an automobile in side elevation with the doors or curtains in the lowered position. v

F1gure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional View through a portion or" the automobile dlsclosed in Fig. 1 and the curtains in the raised position. 'Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the structure of Fig. 2 showing the curtains and supporting frame in plan. a Figure 4c is a perspective view of one of the curtains, portions of the same bein broken away. I D

Figure 5 is a view showing one-of the curtains inelevation.

Figure 6 is a transverse'sectional View taken along the line 6-610f Fig. 5..

. Figure 7 is a fragmentary view showing in perspective a portion of the upper end portionof one of the curtains.

Figure 8 is aview similar to Fig. 7 showing a portion of the curtainused' upon the opposite side of the car and extending in overlapping relation to the curtain of Fig. 7 when in an inoperative position. it

This improved curtain is used in connection with the top portion 1 of an automobile 2, the top as previously stated preferably being a removable top fitting upon a touring car. It will be understood however that the device can be used in'connection with an au-] tomobile oi the limousine} or sedan type in which the top is an integral portion of the automobile body. This top 1 is provided with the usual. door opening which will be bile body and at the sides or the opening willlbe provided tracks 3 formed preferably of channel iron'and having their upper end portions curved lnwardly as shown in Fig. 2'

so that the curtains will be guided and caused to pass beyond the inner sides of the with end bars 6 which extend longitudinally of the vehicle top and have their end portions secured to supporting bars? which extend transversely of the vehicle top and have their end portions notched as shown in Fig.

3 2 thus providing seats 7 in which will lit the From an inspection of Fig. 2, it will be '25'readilyseen that the curtains indicated in side bars 4. Strips 8 which are'preferably forme'dof metal are secured to the end strips Gandhave their end port ons curvedso that these strips 8 will extend transversely of the body close to therooi withtheir endportions extending downwardly andterminatmg in operative relation to the tracks 3.

general by the numerals 9 and 10 in this 'figure, nay readily pass from the tracks to the position disclosed in this figure. It will vbe further noted that the curtains may be easily drawn down to a closed or operative position as shown in Fig. 1 and that whenin the inoperative position disclosed in Figs. 2

and 3, the end portions will extend in overlapping relation.

The curtains9 and 10 are practicallyof a duplicate construction with the exception of a slight difference in the inner end portions as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Each of the curtains is provi 0 ed with a structure such as shown in Fig. 4.. Referring to'F1g. 4l-, it

will be seen that the curtain is provided with a framehaving-inner and outer side bars 11 and 12, the outer strip 'l2-being formed of resilientmetal such as sheet steel and the inner strip 11 being formed oirelatively rigid .metal such as galvanized sheet iron.

Cross strips 18 connect the ends of the strips 11 and 12; these strips13 being formed of galvanized sheet iron and. riveted to the ends of thestrips 11 and 12 at the lower end of-the frame and. at the upper end be- .hold the strips 12 in the bent condition.

ing riveted to the strip 12 and having the end portions ofthe strip 11 wrapped about the cross strips 'as'shown'atl i. It will thus be seen that after the cross stripsflS have beenconnectedwith the upper ends of the strips12, these strips may be bent as shown and the end portions of the strips 11 then wrapped-about the cross strips 13 so that the strips l lwill provide truss strips-which will Cross strips 15 which will preferably be formed of wood but may be formed of any desired material which is substantially rigid,

. are secured to the inner sidestrips 11 so that these strips will be held against transverse movement and thus'the frame strengthened and reinforced without the elastic'ityof the strips 12 being interfered with. "It will thus be seen that the upper end portion of the frame may have stretching movement and the side strips 12 may have sufficient resiliency to permit the curtain to be moved up wardly or downwardly around the curve at the sides oi the root 5. In'order to protect the metal side strips 11 and 12 from eX- posure to dampness there has been providedjackets 16 formed of oil cloth or other similar rubber coated fabric. 17 and18 which form'the covering for the doors or curtains will then be put. in place are secured at the side portions ofthe doors and sewed as'shown and protector strips 19 or curtains and extend longitudinally in ar. allel relation to the'strips 12 thus protecting theside portions of the curtains against wear when the curtains'are raised or lowered. It should be noted that thev sheets 17 and 18 The fabric sheets 7 extend beyond the strips 12'and will. thus provide a'flap 20 having a reinforcing strip 21 of metal positioned therein and secured by a socket fastener 22 for engagingstuds at the upper extremities of the doorways formed in the side portions of thetop. rom aninspection of Fig. '2, itwill be seen that the studs at the upper ends of these doorways are carried by the strips e l.

From an inspectionof Figs. 7 and 8 it will be seen thattheonly differences between the.

two doors or curtains shown in these figures and also shown in Fig. 2, is the fact that the door 9 is provided witha cylindrical rod 25 at the upper edge and thatthe curtain'l'O is not providedwith this rod 25 "but is pro-.

vided with asmall metal rod 26 which is em bedded. between thev extendededge portions of the sheets 17 .and' 18. Thei-eroi-e,,i11sap per edge of the door or curtain 10 'willftjaper and will be rein forced'jso that the two cur tains may easily move into overlappingirelation as shown in Fig. 2'when raised 1 When this improved construction is. assembled; the frame shown in Fig. 3 will be con:

nected with theroof portion of the top 1 and A the curtains willloeput in place tomoveaver-- tically in the tracks3. Ifit is'not desired to have I the curtains lowered, they will be moved upwardly'to the position.ofiFig.,2,I

and as they move upwardly; they willleave the tracks andmove into placebetweenthe frame and the roof 5. When the" curtains are moved downwardly to the lowered posi tion, the'tab 20 will be released and used as means for drawing the curtains downwardly.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided an improved curtaini or slidingdoor so constructed that it may have easy sliding movement from a vertical position'to a ho'ria zontal position without beingbentnout of shape and furtherthat animproved supporting frame has been provided for supporting the curtain in a horizontal position. Itwill be further noted that the curtain is so constructed that it will be braced transversely v portions connected with the upper cross strip with the resilient side strips bent and the rigid side strips holding the resilient side strips in a bent condition, bracing strips connected with the rigid side strips to brace the same against transverse movement, and an envelope receiving said frame and constitut ing the body of said closure.

2. The combination with a vehicle body including atop having a roof and side walls having openings therein in opposed relation, of closures for the openings slidably mounted for movement from an operative position to an inoperative position beneath the roof,

the closures when inan inoperative position having theirinner end portions extending in overlapping relation, and a cam element car: ried by the inner end portion of one closure for engaging the second closure and guiding the closures into overlapping relation. 7

3. The structure of claim 2 having the second closure provided at its inner end'with a feathered edge for engaging the cam element of the first closure and assisting movement of the closures into overlapping relation.

4. A closure of the character described including a frame having resilient side strips, cross strips connecting said side strips, and truss means connected with said-cross strips with the resilient side strips bent adjacent one end of the frame and an envelope covering said frame and constituting the body of said closure.

5. The structure of claim 4: having the truss means in the form of strips having their lower'ends secured to the lowerlcross strip and their upper ends connected with the upper cross strip.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. a v RAYMOND o. RUPP. 

